Fairfield Cops Who Went to Help Montville PD Released from Hospital

Two Fairfield police officers whose patrol cars collided Sunday as they were responding to a report from Montville police of a rogue motorist on Horseneck Road have been released from an area hospital, according to a news report.

Montville police arrested the Horseneck Road driver, Taiwan Davis, 27, of Paterson, after his car became disabled on the road in Fairfield, according to a Fairfield police news release. Davis was charged with DWI, eluding police and other offenses, police said.

The two-police car accident on Route 46 prevented the Fairfield police officers from ever pursuing Davis.

One of the Fairfield officers involved in the accident was 28-year-old Officer Gerald Veneziano, who had resumed working after in January following a road rage incident.

Fairfield police Sgt. Christopher Oswald, 39, and Veneziano were traveling on Route 46 near Hollywood Avenue when their cars collided at 1:11 a.m., police said. Veneziano was traveling east on Route 46 and was attempting to cross the median, while Oswald was traveling west on the highway and then steered onto the median to avoid hitting another vehicle that veered into Oswald’s lane, the news release said.

Released

Both officers were hospitalized and Oswald was released first, Fairfield Deputy Chief Anthony Manna said. Manna told the Belleville Times that Veneziano was released around 4 p.m. Monday.

The New Jersey State Police Accident Reconstruction Unit was called to assist in reconstructing the accident, and the westbound lanes of Route 46 were closed for about five hours while the investigation was conducted, police said.

Fairfield police said they are attempting to locate the driver of the vehicle, described as a small, dark SUV, that was in Oswald’s lane.

In addition to DWI and eluding, Davis was charged with driving while suspended and having an uninsured vehicle, authorities said. Davis also had outstanding warrants, police said.